Home Forums Birds & Dogs Turkey Hunting NWTF - renew?

Anyone here a member of the nwtf?

Have you noticed the magazine got more slick, but less worthy content?


I renewed again, but it was a debate for me.

Whats you thoughts people?

I was given a Silver Life membership years ago or I would likely not be a member.

The only real thing the NWTF can claim responsibility for is creating more hunters.

I was a member for several years, but got fed up with all the requests for money. Same thing with the NRA. They both were after as much money from you as you would give them. I finally quit both organizations, and even quit going to the local NWTF banquets.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for doing things that will help the sport, and in the case of the NWTF, help out our wild turkey population and introduce new hunters to turkey hunting. But, I decided to do things on my own land that will help the turkeys and other wildlife, instead of giving money to an organization that spent that money elsewhere.

You are dead wrong about the NRA....if it wasn't for the NRA we might be shooting flint locks.

I have been a member of the NWTF, but don't think I will renew. Our local chapter shut down and you had to renew to get into the banquet.

IMO, the NRA lost it's way, and become more of a cash cow for the people who ran the organization. At one time, it was very much the standard bearer for our SA rights. Now days, I'm not so sure.

I was an IL and WI hunter safety instructor for a long time and joined NWTF when they donated all kinds of "stuff" to those programs. Computers, 870 youth shotguns, other training aids... lots of good stuff. But then, after a while, it seemed to me that different people got in charge and the organization changed. Just my opinion, but that's what it felt like to me. So I let my membership expire and haven't renewed since. Like others have said, I put my dollars into my own land to improve habitat for wildlife. Also, givers have to watch how much they give, because the takers don't! So, to answer your question, I haven't renewed.

I'm a firm believer that the NRA is the only voice sportman and gun owners have....if you are not a member of the NRA you should join.

The NWTF has always been nothing but a cash cow.

States game and fish commisions did all the work trapping and transferring turkeys in every state....all the NWTF did was supply the free card board transport boxes with the NWTF logo printed all over them....the boxes were donated by a paper company....which is ironic because paper companies are the enemies of wild life.

Largest false advertising scam ever pulled on sportsmen.

The NWTF never trapped or transferred the first turkey in any state....yet a lot of people think they did.

The NRA has it problems, but no doubt you are right....At one time they were feared in Washington..40 % of the homes in America have a firearm....15 million hunting licenses sold...And the gun owners voted pro gun..Yet NRA membership is only 5 million..However, part of the problem is a portion of the gun owners today have gone over to the other side....

Owning a firearm today no longer equates to being pro-gun...And the NRA can't be blamed for that.

You are right about the NRA and other org’s Soliciting donations constantly. And, internal or staff problems aside, its not all the NRA’s fault. What garners attention and support in D.C is big-money, special-interest groups and their lobbyists with tubs full of money. And money equals power.

No real national problems get fixed and will not get fixed because “we the people” are no longer represented — behind every apparent national calamity, there are special interests perpetuating it for their gain. It’s never been more evident than it is today.

Well said George.

I'm an NRA member and will remain one because it's our best and only shot (short of all out war) at defeating the gun grabbing liberals.

I've never donated a dime out side of my NRA membership.

I like the NWTF, and buy a Sponsor ticket for a local Chapter or two, when they have events. I know a couple of the biologists that are involved in the state level events and leadership, so I'm pretty confident that the money is going where they say it is.

The magazine is mildly interesting once in a while, but not my first reach for reading material - yeah, it's ads, reviews, and very little hunter content.

It appears to me that membership in such organizations results in much better hunting opportunities...for those who are high up in the organization. For the rest of us, not so much.

Kinda overshot its goal and then went to fundraising for profit. When Rob Keck was getting $3 million per year we knew it was over. Now they put on a pretense for fundraising. If you've seen any of their projects...good grief.


https://turkeysfortomorrow.org/ is an option but I haven't heard much about them.

Why do we need a club ?

Agreed. I left the NRA 3 years ago. I'd renew again tomorrow if Wayne and his elite cabinet were gone.

I'm a life NRA member and I don't get calls or even mail

OP here...

I quit going to Ducks unlimited banquets because I felt they were going to grab me by the ankles and hold me upside down and shake the money out of my pockets.

I have yet to go to a turkey banquet. I know some of the same volunteers do advanced hunter clinic training so I can support them.

I was a committee member and officer of a NWTF chapter for several years. Like any other organization, there is good and bad. Here's my take:

Local chapter - I support local NWTF events because I know at the end of the day there are chapter volunteers that work extremely hard for the causes they support. It takes a lot of dedication. Volunteers aren't held to performance standards and people come with all types of personalities and competencies (or lack there of). Like any other volunteer group there are a handful of participants that are behind a majority of the work and success. This isn't unique to the NWTF, just par for any volunteer organization. We did a lot of fundraising for local sporting groups, youth hunter education and firearms training, fundraising for WMA land acquisitions, etc. The people behind these efforts get nothing in return. I'm happy to support these fine folks by going to their banquets and other events.

National NWTF - My chief complaint of the NWTF as a whole was that there was a huge disconnect between the national organization and the local chapter. All the things we did as noted above got virtually no support from the national organization. We were expected to put a ton of work into raising money which was sent up the chain with no return. From a political standpoint, I didn't agree with the push for liberalized hunting rule changes here in Minnesota, which was pushed through with the help of the NWTF. The elimination of the lottery system with limited season lengths at a minimum puts the population at risk when there is a natural decline cycle, if not directly hurting the population.

Personally, I don't send money or pursue an annual membership online or through the mail. I sign up when I attend a local chapter banquet, and give plenty to them when I attend.